A Hidden Hero
by 0oFlourescenceo0
Summary: Laura always thought that Roberto was the worst guy in school. but then came Jason. an exchange student. Cute, funny, and he even likes Laura! one problem he's a PERVERT! will this boy open Laura's eyes to the hero that is Roberto? read, review and find o
1. Passion Unrealized

**Author's note: WHAT"S WRONG WITH U PEOPLE! Laura and Roberto are meant for each other! Forget Travis, he's jus a friend in this story. Don't like that? Too bad!**

A Hidden Hero

PHASE 1

Chapter 1: Passion Unrealized.

"Kana!" Laura complained into the phone as she twisted her fingers through the chord "It's my 13th birthday and you pick now to be slow?"

Laura had been waiting for Kana for over an hour. The two had planned to go to the revolving restaurant to celebrate Laura's first birthday as a teenager. "Will you just hang on?" Kana protested "I _was _on the other line, the other person probably hung up."

"Fine" Laura said, still impatient "just don't take an hour."

"No problem" Kana said reassuringly.

Laura groaned softly as she heard the click that signified that Kana had switched lines followed by dead silence. She stood and walked over to Hamtaro's cage "You awake Hamtaro?" she asked with a slight smile "or are you going to keep me waiting forever too?"

As if in reply, the orange and white coated hamster crawled out from behind his whiz wheel 'I wouldn't keep you waiting Laura' he said to himself 'not on your birthday!'

Laura smiled broadly and lifted Hamtaro out of his cage. Sitting on her bed, she cradled the phone between her ear and her shoulder to free her hands, which were now being used to scratch Hamtaro affectionately on the head.

Suddenly, Laura heard another click. "Laura?" Kana called from the other end.

"Yeah I'm still here" Laura responded, still petting Hamtaro.

"Okay" she said with a hint of a pleasant chuckle in her voice "I'm ready"

"Great!" Laura shouted, standing suddenly "let's go!"

"I'm actually going to meet you there okay?" Kana said in an uneasy tone.

"Okay but why?" Laura asked confused.

"Just trust me okay?" Kana replied.

"Kana…" Laura started to protest.

"Got to go" Kana interrupted quickly "bye!"

With that said, there was yet another click followed by a beeping dial tone, Kana had hung up. Laura gave the phone a puzzled look, as though expecting it to answer her questions. "That's odd" she said slowly in a tone only audible to her and Hamtaro "I wonder why she was in such a rush to leave?"

Hamtaro, still in her hands, wondered if Laura were asking him this question. 'I'm not sure Laura' he said in reply, still unsure if the question was even directed towards him.

"Well, no point in worrying about it" Laura said, glancing at clock that stood beside her bed "I'd better hurry or I'll be late."

With that last thought, she quickly placed Hamtaro back in his cage "don't get into trouble now Hamtaro" she said with a wave "I won't be gone too long."

She quickly ran down the stairs and into the main hallway. She continued running after she had quickly slipped on her shoes and sweater. Heading down the sidewalk at a rapid pace, Laura continued to think about her conversation with Kana a few minutes earlier. Laura could have sworn that she had heard the slightest hint of a laugh in Kana's voice before her rushed goodbye. What had that meant? And what about Kana's slow, lazy attempt to get ready, and then her rapid hurry to get off the phone? All in all, Laura had no idea how to take their recent conversation.

She kept thinking about it, however. She was unable to shake the questioning thoughts from her mind. In fact, she was so engulfed in her queries that she barely heard the words "heads up!" being shouted from behind her.

Fortunately, the sound of the person's yelling was loud enough to bring Laura back to reality just in time to whirl around and catch something round and smooth in her hands. Laura looked down and saw that she had caught a soccer ball. But not just any soccer ball, this one was checkered in white and green instead of the traditional white and black. _Oh no_ Laura that as she stood, helpless, and stared at the all too familiar soccer ball.

"Thanks for…oh" called the oh so familiar voice of the red-headed boy that you could consider Laura's enemy "it's you"

"Hello to you to" Laura replied sharply as she caught sight of the boy "Roberto."

"I'll take that if you don't mind" Roberto said, ignoring Laura's comment.

"Watch where you're kicking it next time" Laura said angrily. She couldn't help it, whenever she saw Roberto, something inside her triggered. It was a weird feeling. The two of them were always fighting, yet she seemed to enjoy it most of the time, as though she couldn't wait for the next time they met.

"I said heads up" Roberto protested, grabbing the ball from Laura's outstretched hands "It's not my fault if you're too stupid to hear me."

"Jerk!" Laura shouted.

"Well this _jerk" _Roberto said, pressing his index finger into his chest "has a soccer game to get to."

"Would want you to miss that" Laura said in a sarcastic tone as she rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Hey the school team needs me" Roberto argued, leaning in closer to Laura's face "in fact, the outcome of that game _depends_ on whether I'm there or not."

"That's only because you never pass to anyone" Laura shouted, leaning closer to his face as well.

"Why should I?" Roberto said haughtily "I'm the best one on that team anyway."

"How would you know?" Laura yelled angrily, clenching her fists "If you never pass, no one else will be able to show their talents on the field."

"Better for me" Roberto replied.

"You've got such a big ego!" Laura said "you just can't stand it when you're not the centre of attention can you?"

"That's pretty personal wouldn't you say?" Roberto shouted back in her face.

"Egotistic jerk!" Laura shouted.

"Stupid, nosy wench!" Roberto retorted.

The two of them grew closer and closer to each other until they were almost nose to nose, both of them grunting in anger and frustration. "Yeah" shouted an unfamiliar feminine voice "you tell him girl!"

"No way the guy's totally right!" shouted another strange voice, this time masculine.

Laura and Roberto turned away from each other and looked at the crowd that had gathered to watch their verbal bashing. Both exchanged nervous glances and blushed slightly. The crowd was split, those who were female cheered for Laura, while those who were not chanted their share of encouragement and support to Roberto.

"So is this your first fight?" one person asked out loud.

"Well…no" Laura said, still blushing scarlet red.

"Don't sweat it girl" said another "every relationship needs at least one fight."

"R-relationship?" Roberto stammered, blushing 3 shades darker.

"Yeah" said a third voice "they say that flames keep passion burning"

"Passion?" Laura said sheepishly, glancing nervously at the red headed boy that stood beside her.

"I must admit though" a lady whispered to another "they are an odd couple aren't they?"

"No" the other lady argued "they look very cute together."

"Whoa, whoa!" Roberto protested "me? In love with her? Are you kidding?"

"Don't flatter yourself space for brains!" Laura shot back "not like I'm in love with you!"

"That's passion alright" said one lady with a sigh.

"Can we talk somewhere else" Roberto asked suddenly "somewhere people aren't watching our every move."

"After all this" Laura started to say "why should I listen to you?"

But she was interrupted by the chanting of the crowd. All through the streets the word "Kiss" could be heard repeatedly.

Roberto shot Laura a look that seemed to say _that's why_. Laura sighed and simply nodded her head. Roberto then did something that surprised Laura and even himself a little. He held out his hand to her. Laura shot him a questioning glance but Roberto just looked away, his hand still outstretched.

Laura looked from Roberto to the crowd, who was still chanting the word "Kiss" over and over, and back to him once more. Seeing no other option, Laura sighed and placed her hand in his. It felt warm and almost comfortable. Laura had to control herself from squealing in delight. _Wait what the heck am I thinking? _Laura thought _this is Roberto's hand I'm holding not Travis'. _

But her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden pull of Roberto's hand on her own. Snapping back to reality, Laura sprinted along with him, still holding on to his hand. Roberto felt slightly lightheaded as he enclosed his hand around her dainty, delicate fingers. _Okay Roberto, keep your cool _he thought _it's just Laura here. _Even through his protesting thoughts, he still had to restrain himself from stopping abruptly and embracing her _no! Wait! what? Stop thinking that Roberto! It's Laura! L-A-U-R-A! _He shook his head dismissively and continued running, pulling Laura behind him.

As they got further and further away from the crowd shouts of "Don't leave yet!" and "It was just getting juicy!" could be heard from behind. Roberto and Laura then heard some new cheering, this time not for them (much to their relief). Roberto looked straight ahead at the oncoming soccer field _it's the game! _He thought in horror as he sped up, pulling Laura closer to him fiercely _and they're starting without me! _

"What's your problem?" Laura said from behind, feeling the abrupt change of speed.

"Never mind" Roberto said dismissively.

"Oh I see" Laura said with a smirk, glancing at the field ahead of them "Mr. Ego is missing his big game!"

"Will you shut up?" Roberto said angrily as they grew closer to the game site.

Roberto then turned quickly and hid behind a bush. He then stopped suddenly, causing Laura, who was still running, to trip. But before she had hit the ground, something grabbed her around the waist. Turning her head slowly, she found herself looking into a pair of intense green eyes. **(a/n: even if they're not green I don't care!) **

Laura found herself unable to look away from them, as though they had captivated her. Roberto couldn't look away from Laura either. What was going on? First the crowd and now this! He was totally losing it.

"Roberto?" said a familiar voice from behind them "Laura?"

**Author's note: Bwahahahaha cliffhanger! Send in the reviews please! Hope you like it minna-san! **


	2. Forfeiting the Game of Love

**Author's Note: Hey guys, lovin the support! Thanks so much! I really into this now**

PHASE 1

Chapter 2: Forfeiting the Game of Love

"What are you doing?" Travis said, looking at Roberto, who was holding Laura up by the waist.

"Uhhh.." Roberto said slowly, realizing the position they were in. He dropped Laura to the ground in attempt to make the situation seem normal.

"Hey!" Laura said "that hurt you know!"

"So does looking at you" Roberto retorted "but you don't see me complaining."

"That's it" Laura said, standing and dusting herself off "you are the stupidest, most immature jerk I have ever had the misfortune to meet!"

And with that, she turned "from now on" she said, looking back one last time "you and I are strangers!"

After Laura had stalked off, Roberto could do nothing but stare in the direction of Laura's retreating back. He stood, mouth agape, until Travis nudged him in the arm "you okay man?"

"Uh…" Roberto said slowly, snapping out of his trance to look at his raven haired friend "yeah, fine"

"Well good" Travis said with a smile "you looked kind of weirded out"

"I am" Roberto said without thinking "a little" he said as he saw the look Travis was shooting him.

"I thought you hate Laura?" Travis said.

"I do…" Roberto said slowly "I just didn't think that she'd say something like that? You think she was serious?"

"Most likely" Travis said, watching as Roberto's head drooped.

"Oh" he said in an almost disappointed tone.

"I'm kidding" Travis said, putting his friend into a headlock "I didn't know you cared so much what Laura thought anyway."

"I don't" Roberto protested.

"You sure about that?" Travis said slyly.

"Shut UP" Roberto said angrily "don't you have a game to play?"

"Yeah…about that" Travis said sheepishly.

"What?" Roberto said, sensing his friend's tension "what's wrong."

"No one blames you for it" Travis said "no one really wanted to play today and now this frees up our Friday."

"What are you talking about?" Roberto said in confusion "Slow down."

"Well the thing is…" Travis said nervously.

"Will you spit it out already!" Roberto snapped.

"With you gone we were short one player" Travis said slowly "so we had to…"

"Don't tell me…" Roberto said in horror.

"Yeah" Travis said, nodding his head solemnly.

"WE HAD TO FORFEIT!" Roberto yelled as he sunk to his knees.

Never in his life had it been his fault, never had he or his team had to forfeit on his account. No wait, it wasn't his fault. It was Laura's! If he hadn't have bumped into her, he never would have been held in verbal combat. And if he hadn't been held in verbal combat, he never would have been late to the game. And if he hadn't been late to the game, they wouldn't have had to forfeit. It was all Laura's fault.

"STUPID LAURA!" Roberto yelled without second thought.

"Hey don't worry about it" Travis said "the coach rescheduled the game."

"He did?" Roberto said in relief.

"Yeah" Travis said with a nod "he argued with the ref until she gave in."

_Good old coach _Roberto thought, rising to his feet.

"Well I'm going to get going" Travis said, "Everyone's getting together for Laura's birthday at the revolving restaurant."

"How come I wasn't invited" Roberto said, inwardly hurt.

"Do I have to answer that?" Travis said incredulously "or did you already forget your last encounter with Laura."

"Stupid Laura" Roberto cursed under his breath, beginning the long trek home.

"Don't feel too bad Roberto" Travis said as he waved his friend good-bye.

A bush behind him rustled and a figure all in black popped their head out very slightly "phase one complete" it whispered into a walky-talky.

"Stupid Roberto" Laura groaned as she walked towards the revolving restaurant "now I have to go to my own birthday party upset."

When she got to the restaurant, Kana was waiting for her "where have you been?" she said slightly irritated "you're late to your own party."

"Not my fault okay?" Laura said just as angrily.

"Whoa what's wrong" Kana said sensing the anxiety.

"Nothing, it's nothing" Laura said dismissively "I had a run in with you know who."

"Roberto?" Kana said confused.

"Is that his name?" Laura said irritably "for a second I thought his name was idiot."

"Let's just go inside" Kana said to Laura, pulling her gently into the building. Before going in, she looked to a nearby bush and gave it the thumbs up.

After she had done that, the dark figure popped out and returned the signal with a thumbs up of her own.

"We've got a surprise for you Laura" Kana said as she and Laura stepped into the elevator and pushed the button for the top floor.

"We?" Laura said confused "I thought it was just you and me coming here."

Kana just smirked but remained silent as the two continued their ride up the various floors of the building. Soon after, they reached the top. In minutes, the elevator doors slowly slid open and all of Laura friends, June, Kylie, Maria, Travis, and even some from her old town, Melody, jumped out shouting a hearty "happy birthday Laura!"

Laura shrank back in surprise "oh my…" was all she could manage to say. Kana pulled on her arm and led her towards their table, which was covered in decorations. Pictures from magazines, different styles of the number 13 and streamers in every shad and color blanketed the table and chairs, acting as a table cloth and seat covers.

"How…creative" Laura said with a smile, finding her voice once again.

"We thought you'd like it" Kylie said with a grin.

"I love it you guys" Laura said, hugging them all without thinking.

"But that's not all" June said with a smirk.

"What?" Laura said "you guys have done so much already, how can there possibly be more?"

"Sit down and we'll tell you" Maria said, gesturing to the decorated chairs.

Laura did as was instructed and so did the rest of her friends "As a special treat" Maria continued cheerfully "Everyone here (with the exception of Travis) is sleeping over at my house for the whole weekend!"

"Seriously?" Laura said in a bit of a worried tone "are you sure that's okay?"

"I've already checked it over with my mom if that's what you mean" Maria said with a smile.

"It's a hamster party" Kylie said with a wink "so bringing your hamster is required."

"Don't worry" Laura said with a laugh "I'm positive Hamtaro will be thrilled to see Bijou, Oxnard, Penelope and Pashmina again."

"Good" Kana said with a smile "then we'll see you there."

"So then the game was cancelled?" Laura asked as she and Travis were walking home together "not forfeited?"

"Exactly" Travis said with a nod and a smile.

"I'm so glad" Laura said, returning the smile.

"Why?" Travis asked.

"I would have felt bad if the team had lost" Laura said "you guys are representing our school you know."

"Oh" Travis said, looking away.

Laura merely smiled, but she knew that wasn't the real reason she would have felt bad _It wouldn't have been Roberto's fault, it would have been mine. _She thought _but they wouldn't know that, so they would have kept thinking that it was Roberto. I would have felt horrible._

Later that night, after dinner, Laura was getting ready to go to her big sleepover the next day. As she was packing, she saw her journal lying in one of her drawers. Ever since Laura had passed Mr. Yoshi's class, she hadn't found any time to write in it. So, to pass the time, she sat down, opened a pen, and started to write.

_I totally fumed at Roberto today _she wrote_ but this time it wasn't like before, this time I even told him I wasn't going to talk to him ever again. I was really mad and I meant it at the time. But now I'm having doubts, especially when I heard they almost had to forfeit the game because of me. And, after all, he did help me a lot._

_Lately it seems I'm seeing more and more of Roberto and less and less of Travis. I mean, as it is, today I've said, written, and thought the word Roberto more times than I think I've said, written and thought the word Travis in my entire life! But he confuses me…A lot! Sometimes he can be incredibly sweet, but other's I just want to wring his neck! _

_But it's this confusing behavior that makes me think about him more and more often. We're always fighting, but yet, it's as though we enjoy it. It's the only thing that keeps our conversations going, I'd hate to think of all the awkward silences we'd have if we had a nice rational conversation (as crazy as that sounds) _

_Anyway, it's not like it matters now, I've opened my big mouth and now I have to keep my word. I will NOT talk to Roberto even if it kills me! For a few days at the very least._

Author's note: there you go, another chappie done. Send in the reviews please!


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